Automatic street or station indicator and advertising medium



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. B. LEBGE & A. R. BULLOG AUTOMATIC STREET 0R STATION INDIGATORANDADVERTISING MEDIUM.

N0. 576,201. Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M.'B. LEEOE & A. R. BULLOCK. AUTOMATIC STREET OR STATION INDICATOR ANDADVERTISING MEDIUM.

nted-Ieb. 2, 1897.

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- referred to hereinafter.

TATES A'rnN'rrricE.

MAJOR LEEOE AND ARTHUR R. BULLOOK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC STREET OR STATiON INDICATOR ANl) ADVERTlSlNG MEDIUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,201, dated February2, 1897. Application filed June 2, 1896. Serial No. 594,055 (No model.)

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Be it known that we, MAJOR B. LEEGE and ARTHUR R. BULLOCK, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga andState of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Device for IndicatingStreet, Station, or Stopping-Places of Tram Cars or Railways, of whichthe following is a specification.

Our inventionrelates to improvements in street, station, orstopping-place indicators; and the objects of our improvements are,first, to provide an entirely automatic street, sta tion, orstopping-place indicator; second, to provide a series of moving signs oradvertising-cards moving automatically in connection with said street,station, or stopping-place names. We attain these objects by themechanism illustrated in-the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1is a perspective showingautomat-ic switch Q, solenoids J and J peg orraised and electric circuits. Fig. 2 is a back View of indicator,showing electrical solenoids with cords, angle-pulleys, sliding pawls,and spring, together with ratchet and sprocket wheels, the film orribbon being partly removed to show same. Fig. 3 is the left endelevation showing one ratchet-wheel and rolling clutch. Fig. 4 is aperspective of trolley, showing mode of contact. Fig. 5 is a perspectivefront and end view showin g arrangement of film or ribbon,sprocket-wheel, and feed and take-up rollers, together with belt fortension. 7

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

011 the hangers or brackets A and A is shaft B, carrying two (2)sprocket-wheels G and O and two (2) ratchet-Wheels D and D The film orribbon, consisting of celluloid or other substance, (marked E,) haspunctured holes F and F which by means of sprocket-wheels O and C feedsaid film or ribbon from roller G to roller G or vice versa, accordingto the direction the car may be going. The rollers G and G are providedwith grooved pulleys H and H and a belt I for the purpose of winding upone roller when the other unwinds.

Driving-shaft Bis actuated by sliding pawls N and N in connection withcords O and 0 in their turn being actuated by spiral spring P. Theelectrical solenoids J and J together with their plungers or cores K andK are connected with cords L and L which run over angle-pulleys M and Mhen the current is applied on solenoid J, sliding pawl N is drawn asufficient distance to engage in teeth on ratchet-wheel D, (on returnmotion,) at the same time expanding spiral spring P. When the circuit isbroken, the spring P contracts and draws pawl N and ratchet-wheel D,together with sprocket-wheels O-and C carrying film or ribbon fromroller G" to roller G, a sufficient distance to display another name,and so on to the end of the line. \Vhen the circuit is changed by meansof automatic switch Q, pawl N and ratchet-wheel D are actuated bysolenoid J 2 and spring P, as previously described, feeding film orribbon E in the opposite direction, thus reversing the action of theinstrument at each terminal. Theoretically it may appear that the saidspring P is unnecessary or superfluous, it being obvious that thesolenoids could be made to pull directly on the ratchet-wheels; but wefind by practical tests that the spring in a manner regulates andmodifies the too direct or immediate action of the solenoids alone.

Revolving lock-catch R, engaging in starwheel S, holds film or ribbon Ein place, thus preventing street names or stations from bein g misplacedby moving or jolting of the car. The switch Q, which transfers thecurrent from solenoid J to solenoid J or vice versa, is operatedautomatically as follows: When the solenoid J in connection withratchetwheel D, pawl N, and spring P, has wound film or ribbon E therequired length, (the car having reached its terminal and about to starton a return trip,) peg or raised surface T on film or ribbon E comes incontact with switch-lever U, changing the current from solenoid J tosolenoid J when solenoid J continues to operate the film in connectionwith spring P until the opposite terminal is reached, when the motion ofthe ribbon is antomatically reversed, and so on indefinitely, aspreviously described.

The contact for closing the circuit is as follows: At intervals betweeneach crossstreet we clamp on the span-wire-insulating bracket V, betweenthe trolley-wire and the IOC point of insulation, a stationaryprojecting arm \V. 'In theiend of said arm,-connected with a gimbaloi'universal joint X, is a contact-finger Y, said contact-finger Y beingheld at proper angle by means of a bracket, assisted by spiral spring Z.The current flows from trolley-Wirethrough span-wire-insulating bracketV to projecting arm IV and its bracket to spiralspring Z,.from spiralspring Z to contact-finger Y, from contact-finger Y to contact-plate aon trolley-pole, thence to wireb, to switch-lever U, from switch-lever Uto contact-button c, thence through wire d to solenoid J, and thencethrough wire g to ground through framework of car. hen switch is oncontact-button f, the current flows from button f through Wire 6 tosolenoid J and thence through wire h to ground through framework of car.

WVe are aware that prior to our invention street or station indicatorshave been made with longitudinal rollers carrying a ribbon or film onwhich is placed names or signs. We therefore do not claim such acombination, broadly.

WVhat we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. The combination in a street or station indicator of six or morelongitudinal rollers carrying a film or ribbon of celluloid or otherflexible material, together with sprocket- Wheels 0 and (J andratchet-wheels D and D together with their pawls N and N and twoelectrical solenoids J 'and J 2 in combination with electrical switch Q,all as substantially set forth.

2. In an automatic street or station indicating instrument, thecombination of two electrical solenoids J and J together with theirplunge-rs K and K two pawls N and N and two ratchet-wheels D and D incombination with automatic switch Q, all as substantially set forth anddescribed.

3. In a street or station indicating instrument, the combination of aspan-wire bracket V with a stationary projecting arm W, connected with acontact-finger Y by means of a gimbal or universal joint X, spiralspring Z and contact-plate a, for the purposes specified.

4. In a street or station indicating instrument the combination of afilm or ribbon E having advertising-signs on one side of said film orribbon and street-names or stationnames and house-numbers on the otherside of said film or ribbon, together with six or more rollers,twosprocket-wheels,two ratchetwheels with their pawls and two electricalsolenoids for the uses and purposes herein described.

5. In a street or station indicating instrument a film or ribbon E incombination with sprocket-wheels O and C together with rollers G, G G GG G and pulleys H and H together with belt I for the uses specified.

6. In a street or station indicating instrument, the combination of filmor ribbon E, shaft B, ratchet-Wheels D and D sliding pawls N and Nangle-pulleys M, M M and M and spiral spring P in combination withelectrical solenoids J and J substantially for the purposes set forthand described.

MAJOR B. LEECE. ARTHUR R. BULLOCK. \Vitnesses:

CHARLES H. CAWooD, CHAS. M. SA'FFORD.

